Louisiana

Louisiana was founded in 1818, and by 1866 it was the 12th largest city in Missouri. The citys proximity to the Mississippi River fostered lumber, tobacco, and agriculture industries and lured river captains and others whose commerce depended on the river. In 1873, another form of transit bolstered the city with the construction of the Chicago & Alton Railroad Bridge. The third bridge built across the Mississippi, it remains in use today. Pardee College, founded in Louisiana, became McCune College in 1881 and closed in 1895. Funded by Andrew Carnegie, the Louisiana Public Library opened in 1905. Louisiana has been home to famous people, silent movie stars, a governor, a senator, a Carpathia passenger, and many others. The natural beauty of the citys setting remains and Southern hospitality continues.

Authors Betty Jane Allen and Martha Sue Smith grew up calling Louisiana home, and both graduated from Louisiana High School. Betty Jane went on to earn her bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. She has worked for Maytag, Pet Milk, and the Stephens College news bureau, in addition to working as a freelance reporter for the St. Louis Globe Democrat. Martha Sue attended Monticello College and the University of Missouri, majoring in radio and television. She is a local radio personality who broadcasts daily and is the coauthor of the recently published book Reflections of Missouri.